Call for Papers: 4th Surveillance & Society Conference, 2010

Supported by the LIVING IN SURVEILLANCE SOCIETIES (LISS) COST Action, and the SURVEILLANCE STUDIES NETWORK

City University London, UK

April 13 – 15, 2010

CALL FOR PAPERS

OVERVIEW

Surveillance has become a ubiquitous feature of living in the global north, with citizens routinely monitored by a range of sophisticated technologies. Increasing levels of surveillance are typically justified and legitimated by threats of terrorism, fear of crime and disorder, as info/entertainment tools for the curious and through discourses emphasizing public and private service improvement. In spite of this, little is known about the effect of surveillance on individuals, society, the democratic polity, nation states in the developed and developing world, and the evolving nature of humanity.

THEMES

This conference calls for papers which examine the many facets of surveillance and globality. In particular, we welcome papers which address:

Living in the surveillance age

Surveillance, difference and discrimination

Attitudes and experiences of the watcher and watched

The development and diffusion of surveillance technologies

Surveillance technology in practice

The political economy of surveillance

The business of surveillance

The surveillance of consumers and workers

Public policy, regulation and surveillance

The philosophy of surveillance and philosophical perspectives on surveillance

Surveillance, intelligence and war

Surveillance, sovereignty and the nation state

Surveillance and the production of space

FEES AND GENERAL INFORMATION

This is a non-residential conference and participants will need to make their own arrangements for accommodation (we will provide advice for this in due course). The Conference will be held in and around the Oliver Thompson Lecture Theatre and Foyer, City University London, UK. London is a powerful, global city at the sharp end of surveillance processes, protocols and debates and thus provides delegates with an apt cultural context for the exploration of the above themes.

The conference web site will be up and running from early October 2009 providing full details of the emerging conference programme (i.e. schedule, plenary speakers etc.), maps, accommodation advice, evening dinner information, payment details and an electronic registration form.

The Conference Fee is £200 per person, which includes attendance, refreshments, lunch and an optional £25 two year membership of the Surveillance Studies Network. The membership fee will be used to promote the charitable activities of the Surveillance Studies Network, support the continued publication of the Journal of Surveillance and Society and give other benefits to members.

There will be a formal conference dinner on the evening of April 14th at an additional charge of £50.

SUBMISSION OF ABSTRACTS AND NOTIFICATION OF ATTENDANCE

If you wish to present a paper, please submit your 300-word abstract and an accompanying set of three keywords to Lisa, the conference administrator, by November 7th 2009 (email: surveillance_conference@live.co.uk) and please also include the following information so that we can contact you:

• Name

• Country of residence

• Institutional affiliation

• Institutional address

• Telephone number

• Email address

• 300-word abstract and list of three keywords

If you are thinking of attending but do not wish to give a paper, please send us the above information clearly stating that you do not wish to present a paper.

There will be two special issues of Surveillance and Society following this conference. The issues will be spaced to allow time for papers in different states of completion at the conference itself, to be submitted – please see the ‘Event Timetable’ section below. When you submit your abstract, please specify whether you intend to submit your paper to one of these issues.

POSTGRADUATE INFO

We are hoping to offer ten reduced fee places for postgraduate students wishing to give a paper or present a poster display of their research. If you wish to apply for this, please register our interest as soon a possible and send a 300 word abstract to Lisa (or indicate that you wish to present a poster), the conference administrator by 7th November 2009 (email: surveillance_conference@live.co.uk). Allocation of these strictly limited places will be based on the quality of the abstract/research description submitted and not on a first-come-first-served basis.

If you wish to attend, but do not wish to deliver a paper, please indicate this by the November 7th 2009.

EVENT TIMETABLE

2009

September 3rd – Statement of intent issued

September 28th – Full call for papers issued

October 7th – Website goes live

November 7th – Deadline for the submission of abstracts

November 23rd – Second Call issued – with list of key speakers. Electronic booking form available and formal registration and payment begins

December 18th – Final deadline for the submission of abstracts

2010

March 15th – Deadline for the electronic submission of full papers

March 15th – Final deadline for registration and payment for all conference attendees without late booking surcharge

March 24th – Papers published on Web available to all registered conference delegates

April 13th – 15th – Conference

June 30th – Deadline for submission to Surveillance and Society Conference Special Issue 1

I’m interested in attending. I have spent the last 2 years fighting the RIPA legislation with the help of Liberty. I was placed under surveillance for 21 days along with my partner and 3 young children. Our case has generated a vast amount of media attention – even including the front page of the New York times only 6 weeks ago.

We managed to get the IPT to hold a public hearing on the 5th and 6th of november this year and we await the judgement.

I have sent a number of e-mails to you, but as yet have not had any response. I would simply like to know if I can attend.

It is great to hear that academics are debating the issue of surveillance societies, but you will know that there are just a handful of us out here actually campaiging to change the legislation. We work with very limited resources and most of us have other day jobs. I hope that you have invited someone from Liberty, Privacy International, and Big Brother Watch to attend your event, as academic work is all worthwhile but without it being harnessed to change policy – it is meaningless.

Of course I have yet to see any papers and you may favour surveillance societies – in which case there is even more reason to invite these organisations.

I do not work for any of these groups, I am simply a lone campaigner but I believe the publicity surrounding our case has moved the debate forward.

i’d be grateful if you could let me know if this event would be interesting for me to attend. Regards

I was wondering if anybody was allowed to attend this conference? I am a student at Sixth Form in Leeds, England and as one of my A levels i am doing an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), i have decided to do this on the “Extent of Surveillance in Society” and i feel that this conference would provide a valuable insight into the subject and the people who have the expertise in this area. I hope that you can assist me.